Villain Symposium
Summary: A few villains Sofia has thwarted the last year meet up to discuss where they went wrong and if there's a possibility for revenge. (Original characters listed inside, including their stories where they originated.)
Disclaimer: I don't own the show. I only own the villains mentioned here. (Never thought I'd say that. Lol)
A/N: So… The one OC villain I've created that most people seemed most curious about (even though he's never actually had 'screen time' in my stories) is Sylvester the Steadfast. Here you'll actually meet him for the first time and see what he's all about. This will be a lead-in to a story that will take place later on ("Against the Clock"). With that said, hope you enjoy!
OC Notes: Ethelbert (from "Rogue Royals"), Lord Tudles/Tolvin (from "Confined"), and Simon the Silent (from "Silhouettes") appear in this story.
*Story*
"You're the best, Mr. Cedric!"
"It's all right, Sofia. No matter what, I'll keep you safe."
"You did it, Mr. Cedric!"
"I suppose I did!"
A long, heavy cane slammed against the floor, echoing throughout the vast and empty space as the holographic images of Sofia and Cedric dissipated into thin air. The cane sent vibrating pinpoints of energy through the room, which caused the space to light up. A tall man with short and strikingly white hair glared at three figures who knelt before him, his deep red eyes practically glaring holes through them. His long black robe swept against the floor as he approached them, a deep frown set upon his face. "A mere princess and sorcerer managed to outwit the lot of you," the man declared, his voice deep and even, a commanding tone that sent chills down even hardened criminals' spines. "From you, Ethelbert, a pathetic excuse for a wizard…" He glared at the young man with shaggy dark hair and a similar dark outfit. His eyes then turned to an older guy with slicked back dark hair and a green tunic and dark pants. "To you, Lord Tudles, being overcome not only by those two but also by your own cousin Dante the Delightful." He scoffed and then looked at the very last person kneeling before him. An impeccably-dressed young boy with pale skin and red hair (and red eyes that echoed the man's own). "Even my own grandson has managed to disappoint me, though not nearly as much as you two."
"Please, Sylvester, give us another chance," Ethelbert practically begged as he finally glanced up at the dark wizard.
"You were outwitted by children, Ethelbert," Lord Tolvin sneered as he scoffed. "Toddler versions at that! Who would give you another chance?"
"Silence, Tudles," Sylvester ordered, causing the younger man to flinch at the use of his actual (and unfortunate) real name. "I released all of you from your captivity, did I not? I have use for each of you. Besides, I wouldn't be mocking Ethelbert if I were you, especially since your own cousin helped defeat you."
Ethelbert smirked at the flustered look on Lord Tolvin's face. "Yeah. So shut up."
"Why don't you both shut up?" Simon the Silent suggested as he turned to glare at them, his haunting red eyes chilling each of them despite the boy's young age. "Grandfather is still talking."
"Thank you, Simon." Sylvester slammed his cane into the floor again, creating a series of memories and reflections of all the chaos that Sofia and Cedric had encountered and overcome the last year or so. "All right. You've all been summoned here, because each of you, despite your disappointing defeats, has something useful in taking down these two." He gestured toward Sofia and Cedric in the images. "Right now, they seem to be up against several people who seek revenge: most recently some strange woman named Prisma. While she doesn't seem like much of a threat at first, she certainly got farther in her quest of destroying the princess than our so-called 'fearless leader' Grimtrix ever did. Had it not been for that meddling sorcerer, the princess likely wouldn't have survived Prisma's attack."
"Are you saying we have to outsmart that woman, or what?" Ethelbert attempted to clarify.
"Not necessarily. I'm saying that she's on a quest for defeating this pair. More power to her. However, as far as I'm concerned, we have every right to pursue our own methods of defeating those two."
"It's curious, isn't it?" Simon ventured as the other men looked toward him. "How a seemingly insignificant princess and a not-exactly-celebrated sorcerer can cause so much trouble for those who are trying to pave their own dark paths…"
"I'm afraid it's only going to continue, Simon," Sylvester confirmed. "After all, Princess Sofia of Enchancia and Cedric the Sensational are known for working together quite often, according to my sources. It will take a great deal to conquer each of them. The princess seems to have her own powers, and of course the sorcerer is powerful in his own right. Don't underestimate them just because they may seem helpless."
"I had them confined," Lord Tolvin proclaimed. "Weakened, captured, and nearly out of the way, until Dante and his little girlfriend showed up."
"Big deal," Ethelbert countered. "I turned her into a helpless child. Children are easy to overtake." He scoffed. "Of course, I never realized how annoying toddlers could be—especially that little blonde girl. And when the king found out I was behind it, there went my plan."
"You two think you're worthy of even bragging about your 'successes?'" Simon chuckled as he smirked. "I had Princess Sofia nearly drained of all of her energy. That Snapping Dragon flower was brilliant on Grimtrix's part, I'll admit. From just watching them, I realized quite quickly that they find strength in each other."
"So we'll need to separate them," Sylvester concluded with a dark smile. He turned as an image of Cedric paused before them. "Here's a suggestion. Let's start with the sorcerer. Perhaps he's more difficult to overtake now… But since when has time ever stood in our way?"
"What are you suggesting, Sylvester?" Ethelbert wondered.
"You three will remain here from now on. You know as well as I do that, despite your shortcomings, we'll be stronger in numbers. However…" He smirked as he waved a hand over the orb on the top of his cane, causing it to glow brightly. A new projection of Cedric's childhood years began circling throughout the room. "I think it's best we start at the beginning…" With one last slam of his cane to the floor, the old man changed into a young boy with similar features to Simon, though his face was much sharper and angular, and his outfit was as red as his hair and eyes instead of the darker fabrics Simon preferred. "The very beginning."
Sofia glanced up as she noticed that Cedric shivered a bit after setting down his quill. "Mr. Cedric, are you all right?"
He nodded and smiled toward the girl before him. "I'm… I'm all right, Sofia." He frowned as she went back to her homework, and he turned his eyes up toward the open window, through which he saw the glimmering of the stars and the moon. 'I just have a bad feeling…'
The end (and to be continued in "Against the Clock")
